Radiotherapy (5 weeks)
If you haven't been through it yet and are worried, please don't. It sounds much worse than it is. The receptionists, nurses and radiographers are really lovely. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't take long. I was in and out within an hour or less. My boob was a bit itchy throughout the treatment and became redder as the treatment progressed. But it wasn't sore. I felt tired for about 30 minutes after the treatment. The first week after finishing radiotherapy, you could clearly see the area and a clear line where the radio was targeted, it was a bit bumpy but not blisters. From the beginning I put sorbelene on twice a day until my friend told me about Tallow cream, I alternated them at first but after a while just used tallow because I found the sorbelene made me more itchy. Second week after finishing; there where a few changes to my skin. It was the same as the after ejects of sun burn without feeling the burn. My skin turned a darker brown, then peeled back to a nice tan colour. I've had quite a few headaches since finishing radiotherapy but I get migraines anyway so it could just be normal for me. I wish you all the best throughout your journey with breast cancer. I hope I have helped to take some worry out of the whole experience. Think happy thoughts, love Becky
Season 2: Podcast Series "What You Don’t Know Until You Do, with Dr Charlotte Tottman"
Charlotte is back with an 'unlimited' season! Season 2 of our popular Upfront About Breast Cancer podcast What You Don’t Know Until You Do with Clinical Psychologist Dr Charlotte Tottman is available now (You have direct access via the bottom of the Online Network homepage) With over 58,000 listens, Season 1 proved to be a valuable resource that shared the reality of what it’s like going through a breast cancer experience. We heard about Dr Charlotte Tottman who established her own private practice in psycho oncology, before being diagnosed with breast cancer herself. Charlotte shared her lived experience with breast cancer, exploring common psychological triggers and responses, while providing tips of what helped her. (Read the popular Online Network discussion for the Season 1 via link Upfront About Breast Cancer – What You Don’t Know Until You Do, with Dr Charlotte Tottman) This new season is 'unlimited' to reflect a broader experience from a clinical perspective, stripping away the common limitations imposed by the discomfort associated with difficult topics, while providing practical strategies to help people at any stage of their breast cancer experience. Start your day with Charlotte and Kellie as they have meaningful conversations about many topics including anxiety, advocating for yourself, causal beliefs, metastatic breast cancer, re-starting life after treatment, behavioural changes, boundary setting, different perspectives, side effects and the inevitable; death and mortality. Listen to What You Don't Know Until You Do: Unlimited via BCNA or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/bcna-resources/podcasts/charlotte-tottman-podcast-series/ Note: We recommend that listeners exercise self-care when listening to this podcast, as some may find the content upsetting. BCNA’s Helpline provides a free confidential telephone and email service for people diagnosed with breast cancer, their family and friends. Our experienced team can help with your questions and concerns and direct you to relevant resources and services. Call 1800 500 258 or email helpline@bcna.org.au
Any suggestions /tips for preparing for surgery and heading home
Hi there, I will be having surgery in a week - lumpectomy and breast reduction in the other breast. I am trying to prepare what I can for not only the surgery but my return home. I have 2 primary age kids who are full of beans and 2 big dogs who love to be lap dogs. I am thinking maybe I need to create a quiet space in my bedroom and get an arm chair? Any other tips would be very much appreciated. I am also in the process of about to apply for income protection - it is a 90 day wait. Any suggestions with this would also be helpful.
Slow Down Project
Hiya, I am starting a new creative project, thought it might be good place to show my efforts. With a lot of wait time coming up with appointments and treatments I was looking at a portable time fill option - so hand embroidery it is! I just wanted a small, achievable, positive to not need to think too much but focus on. Starting with straight lines (oops maybe will not do it all in 24hrs...remember the slow down being the aim 😉). Then a cross stitch, then a bigger challenge. Three simple kits to start while I learn some needlework. If I am happy with my efforts, I then have a bigger free hand in mind, using some quilting project fabric I keep not having time for.... but now do for a bit. Watch this space 🙂🩷.
Are you experiencing pain following treatment?
Register for the Persistent pain, addressing quality of life webcast on Wednesday 7 February, 7pm - 8.15pm AEDT. Register now (and if you miss it, we will email you the recording) This webcast will address types of persistent pain associated with early breast cancer treatments, strategies to manage pain and further resources and support that may be available to you. We will be joined by three experts on the night, Professor Paul Glare, Pain Medicine Specialist, Dr Charlotte Tottman, Clinical Psychologist and Naveena Nekkalapudi, BCNA Consumer Representative. Naveena will be sharing her experiences of persistent body pain and why quality of life is paramount to her. You will have the opportunity to put forward your questions when you register or during the event. For more information about the webcast and speakers, and to register, please visit https://www.bcna.org.au/event-directory/webcasts/persistent-pain-after-breast-cancer/ Please feel free to pop any questions below in the comments or get in touch with the events team via events@bcna.org.au. We look forward to seeing you there!Menopause - It's more than a hot flush! Recording available now
The recording of Menopause - It's more than a hot flush! webcast is now available here. We hope you find it both informative and enjoyable. Please feel free to share feedback, questions or thoughts below in the discussion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ask the Expert: Menopause – It’s more than a hot flush! on Wednesday 6 December 2023. Many people experience changes to their sexual wellbeing associated with breast cancer treatment that can be caused by menopause or menopause-like symptoms. These can include vaginal dryness or discomfort, loss of libido (sex drive), changes to self-esteem and fatigue. Topics like these can often be difficult to discuss with your partner or health professional and it can be reassuring to know you are not alone. During this webcast, you will hear from Dr Tonia Mezzini, Sexual Health Physician based in Adelaide. Dr Mezzini is a leader in this area, with her level of expertise, she provides best practice and compassionate medical care. She presents in an open, informative and engaging way about sexual health and wellbeing. The webcast will be facilitated by BCNA Consumer Representative, Naveena Nekkalapudi. Following her diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer and the subsequent treatment, Naveena decided to re-evaluate her life and focus on matters that are important to her. She describes it as changing from being career ambitious to being life ambitious. Naveena is a consumer representative of BCNA, Cancer Council Victoria, Breast Cancer Trials, VCCC, and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research to name a few. This webcast will help to provide you with strategies to manage menopausal symptoms and discuss the support available to assist you with your sexual and emotional wellbeing.
Feeling a failure
Does anyone know if there is a phone consult available for breast cancer mental health? I had two lumpectomies and axillary clearance due to cancer in one node in early 2019. Then rads. Then hormone blockers. Started on Anastrozole, then Tamoxifen, then Exemestane, the Letrozole. All had such bad side effects I was taken off them. My liver went mad. I had such bad neuropathy I couldn’t walk or even hold a cup of tea. I had brain MRI to rule out MS. After being off them for a few days most of the neuropathy has gone except one spot on my leg. I have many other chronic conditions so pain is usual. However now I’m feeling better, I’m starting to regret not keeping on them. I know I can’t have them, but it’s making me feel like I should have persisted even if I needed help going to the loo and eating. Off them I can go walking, shopping, visiting, cooking, etc. I certainly am more healthy physically without them and I tell myself being active should help stop recurrence more than just sitting on the lounge or lying in bed. But my mind is telling me I failed. I should have tried harder. Has anyone else gone through this? I know I can get a mental health care plan but I really want to talk to someone who understands breast cancer, or any cancer actually. Any ideas?
A new daily Brain Game for your mental health ..... Wordle or worse still, Quordle
A few months ago, my sister put me onto this new 'brain game' called Wordle!! Initially I hated it .... now, I'm hooked!!! You get a new one every day. https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html You need to guess what the word is, in just 6 goes!! No hints are given!! So it is important to choose 'good words' in the first 2 lines to give you the best shot at getting as many letters as possible, specially the vowels!! They then tell you if the letters are correct, in the right spot or in the wrong spot - and then you start trying to work out the next 'line' .... MY opening word is AUDIO (lots of vowels) and the 2nd word always includes an 'E' .... so I've covered ALL the vowels early on. You can use whatever opening words that you want!! They CAN also double up on letters too - which makes it a bit tricky ..... but it is such fun!! The Keyboard is 'coloured' as you use the letters, so you can see which letters you haven't used .... and mentally you are trying different letters before putting them in 'permanently'. If the word is not in their data base, you can't use that word. Delete the letters & try a different word. Yellow/beige = correct letter, wrong spot Green = correct letter, correct spot Black/Grey = wrong letter Here is one I tried a few weeks back - and I just COULDN'T get that final word .... I knew that the 2nd last letter was E .... and my sister 'got it' within minutes of showing it to her!! What do you think the final word was? (You can message me with it, if you like, so others can work on it too ..... I'd never heard it before!) So at this point in time, NONE of the letters were in the correct spot! Then, when you think you've got Wordle 'sorted' ..... have a go at 'Quordle' .... it is the same as Wordle, but you work on 4 different Wordles at the same time - and need to guess them all in just 8 lines!! It can be VERY tricky. You can do as many 'Practise' games as you want in one day ..... but once you hit the 'daily' one - you only get the one, daily. https://www.quordle.com/?fbclid=IwAR3CnrsSJBLN0QCJPs7cu6crRuJMwl_GHWkBo04dgWyOKR0nX8u6nwB8sSE#/practice Here's one I did a while back - and 'wasted' a few goes, trying to get the bottom left word .... SO annoying when the word can have so many 'single letters' in it, that waste guesses til you luck onto the correct one! ... End result = I ran out of lines to finish the top right word, which was probably STINK or STINT .... (they DO actually show you the correct word, if you miss it, too.) Here's one of my better ones .... even having a line to spare at the end!! After you've finished each game, you can 'copy' your result and share it with friends (not giving away the words) as it shows like this! Wordle 285 6/6 - I thought it was a Tricky one today ..... it took me all 6 lines to 'get it'! (My best go has been 2 lines! Good Guess!) If you are stuck at an airport or waiting for an appt - give it a go on your phone! It is FUN! Good LuckSHINE (The Sleep Health in Breast Cancer Study)
Hi Members, BCNA's Policy & Advocacy Team recently shared the below study which may be of some interest to you: SHINE (The Sleep Health in Breast Cancer Study-Evaluating the impact on psychological wellbeing and medication adherence) Researchers at the University of Strathclyde Sleep Research Unit in Glasgow (UK) are running a study to better understand physical and emotional wellbeing amongst people diagnosed with breast cancer. More specifically, the study aims to: · learn about wellbeing of people diagnosed with breast cancer · identify potential side effects of cancer treatment · support the development of future interventions, for people diagnosed with breast cancer who need to take hormone therapy. This project has been approved by the Strathclyde University ethics board. Who can participate? You can participate in this study if you: · are aged 16 years or older · have ever been diagnosed with breast cancer · have internet access. What does the study involve? The study involves taking part in an anonymous online survey which takes between 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The survey includes: · demographic questions · questions about breast cancer diagnosis · type of treatment · aspects of physical and mental health, and · hormone therapy adherence (where appropriate) How do I take part? If you are interested in participating in this survey, please visit here. If you would like further information, please contact shinestrath.study@gmail.com. This survey closes on April 31, 2022. By completing this survey you are providing your consent (agreement) for the University of Strathclyde (UK) to collect and store your survey answers on Qualtrics overseas server (large computer).SABC - Sex and Breast Cancer
This link popped up on my Facebook Feed today - it has numerous videos regarding Sex and Breast Cancer (Check out the Vids that are all prefaced by "SABC") I haven't watched any of them .... but hope that they may help answer some of your questions ..... https://www.youtube.com/user/KomenGreaterNYC/videos
